Hello Big D

There are two days a year I dread, Valentine’s Day and my anniversary. This is shocking to most since I happen to be married to the best husband ever, but I’m not a fan of romantic holidays. So this year when my dad invited us to join him and his girlfriend on their traditional anti-valentine’s date at Hole In The Wall, I quickly jumped at the chance.

This worn-in biker bar, towards the north end of Harry Hines across from (insert strip bar of choice), has one of the best burgers in town. Made the old fashioned way on a griddle, it was greasy and fantastic. Top that off with some onion rings and a man singing the blues in a red three piece suit and you have a new Valentine’s tradition. I’m hooked.

A few things to be aware of:

1. You must purchase a membership card – I have no idea why you need it or what you get for being a member but we got it for free making the experience that much sweeter.
2. Don’t expect fine dining – I’m not sure if anyone has cleaned the place since it opened. It’s dark and has bras hanging from the ceiling.
3. Beware of the regulars – The regulars will more than likely stop what they’re doing, turn around and stare as you walk in causing a bit of an Animal House moment. It will pass and your burger will be worth it.

Bars, Food, Little Miss Dictator, Music, Restaurants, awesomeness | No Comments

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Coffee is awesome. If you disagree, something is the matter with you. Dallas may not be Seattle, but there are some great places to grab a cup of Joe. Two coffee shops come to mind, each with a distinct atmosphere. Coffee Company in the Belmont District of East Dallas and Crooked Tree in Uptown are two very different but excellent places to purchase some jitters.

Coffee Company
6038 La Vista Dr. 75206

Click for directions

This coffee shop has been described as a “hole-in-the-wall,” yet the humble, narrow interior evokes a warm atmosphere. Co-proprietor Danny Furr is ready to serve up delicious coffee by the cup (For just a dollar! Eat it, Starbucks!), or one of dozens of flavors that are freshly roasted and ground on the premises. Organic fruits and vegetables from the Dallas Farmers Market are offered fresh, and in the summer lots of local goodies are available, such as peaches and tomatoes. Don’t forget the wide selection of teas, as well. Pop in for a cup to go, because if your party is larger than two you’ll have to stand as you sip. On a side street off Skillman, Coffee Company can be a challenge to find, but look for the large red lettering and follow your nose.

Crooked Tree CoffeeHouse
2414 Routh St. 75201

Click for directions

If Coffee Company is the perfect spot to enjoy some checkers with your neighbor, Crooked Tree is the perfect spot to enjoy checkers wirelessly with a friend in India. An eclectic young staff and equally interesting furniture have turned this house into a comfortable place to relax and enjoy gourmet, fair-trade coffee. On any given afternoon, you may find trouble finding a seat amongst the devoted regulars, all tapping away on laptops. Offering a good bit of space, the house may seat 25 comfortably. Sandwiches and pastries round out the menu, as well as some specialty drinks. Local art adorns the walls, though some pieces are best left unscrutinized.

If you want to sit and chat for a moment, Crooked Tree is perfect, but for those who prefer to enjoy their java at home, the most diverse, freshest options are to be found at Coffee Company. Either way, be careful, because coffee can be very hot.

Bars, Family, Food, Little Miss Dictator, Uncategorized | No Comments

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In my opinion, the best part about baseball season is the food. I have been to many ballparks with my sports obsessed husband over the years and while my personal favorite is the ballpark fare at AT&T Park in San Francisco, our very own Rangers Ballpark in Arlington has some tasty treats of its own.

For an appetizer, head to the Fry Depot along the 1st or 3rd base line to pick up some garlic fries (the same recipe as the one in San Francisco.) For dinner, try the nachos at the Tex-Mex Express stand behind home plate. (I promise they are different than the nachos they sell at other stands.) Piled high with meat, cheese, salsa and jalapeños, they won’t disappoint. Wash it all down with fresh squeezed lemonade from one of the lemonade stands. Mmmmm, tastes like summer.

Children, Family, Food, Little Miss Dictator, Sporting Events | No Comments

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I love books. Any kind of book. Fiction, non-fiction, history, art, children’s books and especially cookbooks. I once told a doctor when he asked me if I had any vices that I thought I was addicted to books and magazines–no lie. The local library was one of my favorite places when I was little, but I until last week I hadn’t stepped foot in a public library in 18 years.

I first went to the new library that just opened up on the other side of Love Field, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Regardless, I signed up for a library card and decided to try a few other branches before giving up. The next library I checked out was the Preston Royal branch. This definitely felt a little more familiar and they had a bigger selection, but I still wasn’t satisfied. So I headed to the central library downtown last Saturday. It was all I had imagined and more.

It has seven stories of seemingly endless shelves of books to look through. The first floor houses a decent selection of dvds, books on tape, and a general collection of recently published books. The entire second floor is dedicated to kids. The Fine Arts section on the fourth floor has a large, but random selection of cds, and the rows and rows of cookbooks on the fifth floor left me breathless. If you haven’t visited the public library in a while, stop what your doing and head downtown immediately.

The best things about the Dallas Public Library.

1. You can check out up to 250 books at a time. Seriously.
2. You may return checked out items to any Dallas library branch.
3. You can renew your checked out items on-line or over the phone.
4. You can request items from any Dallas library to be sent to the branch closest to you.
5. If you are looking for something specific, you can look it up on the library’s website and see if they have it before you go.
6. It’s free.

Here’s the thing about the Dallas libraries, each branch has something different to offer so you may want to check several out in your area before you find the one that’s right for you. Also, the libraries are not perfect, but if you love books as much as I do you won’t be disappointed.

Get a map of all the Dallas Public library locations here.

Authors, Books, Children, Family, Free, Little Miss Dictator, Movies, Music, Public | 2 Comments

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I have never had much of an interest in flowers or plants, but this spring when the cherry blossoms started blooming and the azaleas turned bright pink, my eyes were opened to a whole new world and I decided to take up gardening. After buying all the essential tools that make you feel warm and fuzzy about starting a new hobby, I went on a search for the best nursery in town. I went all over Dallas and ended up at North Haven Gardens. It has just about any plant or flower you could possibly want in any size that you need, and the staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. It’s perfect. Click here to get directions.

For more gardening inspiration, try the Dallas Arboretum. You will feel like you’re somewhere other than Dallas. My brother and I took one of their classes about growing vegetables and learned that we were pretty much doing everything wrong, but the instructor was very patient with us and we left with a lot of good information. For more information on classes and activities at the Arboretum click here.

Little Miss Dictator, Parks | 2 Comments

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